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A Gardening Know How guide in its Dirt Cheap Gardening series describes three repurposing ideas for plastic storage totes: a vented mini greenhouse, a drainage-holed seed starting tray, and a small raised bed. The author says the methods cost little and take minutes to set up. Durability is a stated limitation, with totes expected to last only a few years outdoors.
A new guide from Gardening Know How‘s Dirt Cheap Gardening series details three ways to convert ordinary plastic storage totes into working garden equipment: a mini greenhouse, a seed starting tray, and a mini raised bed. The author reports that all three conversions require minimal modifications, cost little or nothing, and can be set up in minutes using totes most households already own — including bins with missing lids or cracked walls.
The first method, described by the author as a favorite, turns a clear plastic tote upside down over seedlings to act as a mini greenhouse. No drilling is needed. The tote must be propped open with a brick or rock during the day for ventilation, then closed at night to protect tender plants from frost. The author warns that skipping this venting step can overheat plants quickly, recounting an incident when a late morning start left seedlings wilting in direct sun inside a closed tote. A clear bin is required for this use, according to the guide, because colored plastic blocks the light plants need.
The second method converts a smaller tote into a seed starting tray. The author instructs gardeners to drill — or melt with a hot metal skewer — a handful of drainage holes per square foot in the bottom, then fill the bin with seed starting mix. The guide cautions against using knives or scissors to make the holes, noting they are more likely to cause injury and to crack brittle plastic. A lid, if available, can be placed underneath as a water catch tray or used for bottom watering.
The third method turns a large tote into a small raised bed suitable for a porch, patio, or balcony. After drilling drainage holes, the bin is filled with potting mix — the author uses potting soil blended with organic compost — and planted directly. The guide says potatoes grow well in these containers, recommending a tote at least 15 inches (28 cm) deep for adequate root growth. Any color tote works for this use, and no lid is needed.
Why Tote Repurposing Appeals to Budget Gardeners
The guide targets two constraints many gardeners face: cost and space. Commercial greenhouses, seed trays, and raised bed kits can add up quickly, while the tote-based versions use items often sitting idle in basements and garages. The author states that even damaged totes — those with lost lids or cracks — remain usable for most of these applications, extending the life of plastic that might otherwise be discarded.
The balcony-and-patio raised bed option also gives renters and gardeners without in-ground plots a way to grow vegetables like potatoes in a contained, movable container. That said, the author acknowledges a clear durability trade-off: plastic totes are not as long-lasting as metal or wooden raised beds and will likely need replacement after a few years of sun exposure.
The Dirt Cheap Gardening Series
The tote guide is the latest installment in Gardening Know How’s Dirt Cheap Gardening series, in which the author shares low-cost substitutes for store-bought gardening tools and products. The series premise, as the author describes it, is finding free alternatives to expensive gadgets — in this case, reusing plastic storage bins retired from storing clothes, bedding, or holiday decorations.
The author reports a practical payoff from the greenhouse method, saying the early start it gave seedlings contributed to what she describes as her best vegetable garden year. She also notes the tote doubles as a carrier for transporting hardened-off seedlings out to the garden in spring.
“This is my favorite way to use a plastic storage tote in the garden. It requires no modifications to the tote at all and costs nothing!”
— Gardening Know How, Dirt Cheap Gardening series author
Durability Limits and Unaddressed Questions
The guide is based on one author’s experience rather than controlled testing. Several practical questions are not addressed: how long specific tote plastics hold up under repeated UV exposure beyond the author’s estimate of a few years; whether particular plastics pose concerns for growing edible crops over long periods; and how tote gardens perform across different climates and sun conditions. The author’s account of her best-ever garden year is personal recollection, not a measured comparison. Gardeners considering the raised bed method should also confirm their tote is large enough for the crops they intend to grow — the 15-inch depth guidance applies to deep-rooted vegetables like potatoes.
Trying the Methods This Season
Gardeners wanting to test the techniques can start with the simplest conversion: flipping a clear tote over seedlings and venting it daily. The seed tray and raised bed conversions require only a drill, drainage holes, and growing mix. The Dirt Cheap Gardening series continues to publish additional low-cost substitution ideas, and Gardening Know How offers a companion newsletter with a tomato-growing e-book for readers who subscribe.
Key Questions
Do I need a clear plastic tote for all three garden uses?
No. Only the mini greenhouse requires a clear tote, since colored plastic blocks light. The seed starting tray and raised bed work with any color, and the raised bed does not need a lid.
Can I use a tote that is cracked or missing its lid?
Yes, according to the guide. The author says totes with cracks or lost lids still work for several garden uses; a missing lid simply means placing a greenhouse tote directly on the ground or skipping the catch-tray option.
How do I make drainage holes safely?
Use a drill or hot metal skewer, aiming for at least a handful of holes per square foot. The guide advises against knives or scissors, which are more likely to cause injury and crack the plastic.
How deep should a tote be for a raised bed?
The author recommends at least 15 inches (28 cm) for deep-rooted crops such as potatoes, so plants can develop full root systems.
How long will a plastic tote last as a raised bed?
The guide estimates only a few years of outdoor use, since plastic breaks down faster in sunlight than metal or wooden raised beds.
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